West Orange loses series finale 13-4

VARSITY - Baseball | Class 6A, Region 2 Championship

May 11, 2008|By Woody Wommack, Special to the Sentinel

WINTER GARDEN -- The West Orange baseball team saw its run toward a Class 6A state championship come to an end Saturday as the Warriors lost 13-4 to Lakeland in the final game of the best-of-three Region 2 series.

Lakeland opened the game with a six-run first inning, and added two more runs in the second to jump ahead 8-0. West Orange chipped away at the lead, scoring once in the second, twice in the third and once again in the fifth to cut the lead to 9-4.

But the Dreadnaughts answered with one in the sixth and three more in the top of the seventh to seal the victory.

Warriors Coach Jesse Marlo said falling behind so early forced the team out of its game plan.

"That really put it out of reach and took us out of our game," Marlo said of the two-run, second-inning home run by Lakeland left fielder Chad Allen.

"We weren't able to play small ball, hit and run or anything like that."

The Dreadnaughts sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning alone, and West Orange starting pitcher Jarett Ryzewski lasted just 1 1/3 innings.

Catcher Daniel Rockhold led the way for Lakeland at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a single, double, home run and five RBIs.